January: AOL launches its service in the UK. It
attracts 150,000 subscribers by April 1997.

Jan. 21: The New York Times on the Web opens to
the public. Registration is required, but access is free to
U.S. residents.

France: AOL launches its French service in March.

1996
con't

January: The UK is said to have about 200 ISPs
who share about 100,000 users.

January: AT&T announces it will close Interchange,
which it bought from publisher Ziff-Davis in 1995 for $50 million.

Luxembourg: Europe Online declares bankruptcy on
Aug. 2 with $40 million in debts and 25,000 subscribers.

1996
con't

February: Chicago Tribune announces it turned a
profit in 1995 with Chicago Online, its AOL service, which now
has 201,000 subscribers.

France Telecom says it will provide Internet access
anywhere in France for the cost of a local call.

1996
con't

The Onion, a Wisconsin-based satirical newspaper,
launches its Internet edition and instantly gains international
recognition with headlines like "Clinton Deploys Vowels
to Bosnia: Cities of Sjlbvdnzv, Grzny to Be First Recipients."

1996
con't

February: AOL hits the 5 million member mark.

1996
con't

March 14: Chicago Tribune launches its full-newspaper
Web site.

1996
con't

April: NAA reports about 175 North American dailies
are currently available on the World Wide Web. About 775 publications
are available online worldwide.

LeMonde, France's largest daily, launches its Web
site.

1996
con't

May 1: The Associated Press begins beta testing
"the Wire," its proprietary Web site viewable only through a
member newspaper's site.

Spain: “El
País,” Spain's leading daily newspaper, launches its first site
on the World Wide Web on May 4.